With the offseason activities and practices getting going and training camp on the way, it is a great time to start looking at some key Dallas Cowboys players who are entering a pivotal 2026 season.
There are some who might strike fans as obvious ones to talk about, while others have more of a murky future coming up.
Whether we're looking at guys who enter the final year of their contract, are trying to bounce back and keep their place or might already be a lost cause, the Cowboys have several names who are looking at 2026 as an opportunity to plant their flag in the ground.
Now, what type of flag they're trying to plant is a completely different story for each one.
The Dallas Cowboys have a handful of players whose contracts speak volumes about the 2026 season
Luke Schoonmaker, TE
Entering the final year of his rookie contract, I think the time is up for Schoonmaker to ever fulfill his second-round draft billing. The former Michigan star has not given the Cowboys any reason to extend him after this season is up.
Instead, the story for Schoonmaker in 2026 is to give another team a reason to sign him and bet on his draft pedigree. If he's able to make some plays and put good film out there for prospective teams in free agency, then that'll earn him more money. But it won't be with Dallas. It's as simple as that.
DaRon Bland, CB
After another foot surgery, there is pressure building on Bland to bounce back. If he is unable to return to form and has a down season -- heck, even a mediocre season -- then the Cowboys may have no other option than to cut ties in 2027.
It would be a shame for a guy who would still have three years remaining on a 4-year, $90 contract, but the Cowboys would actually save money by cutting him this early into it. Next offseason, if they were to release him with a post-June 1 designation, Dallas saves $13 million. With all of the reworking of this defense in just one offseason, it wouldn't be surprising to see the team move on if Bland struggles in 2026.
Jonathan Mingo, WR
Somehow, it feels like we've been talking about Mingo for several years in Dallas. After being traded to the Cowboys in 2024, Mingo has yet to make even a semblance of an imprint on this offense. Now in the final year of his contract, the story is pretty simple: he's playing for his future elsewhere.
Right now, Mingo looks like a player who will be an end-of-roster candidate or even a practice squad player for another team in 2027. If he wants to change that narrative, even slightly, then he'll have to find a way to make his presence known in 2026.
George Pickens, WR
On the completely opposite end of the spectrum, Pickens is playing on the franchise tag and has every opportunity to show Dallas that they simply cannot afford him, once and for all. If he goes out and has another phenomenal season in 2026, then his price goes up even higher.
And if his price goes up even higher, the likelihood of Pickens staying in Dallas is little to none. The story for Pickens in 2026 is simple: how much more can he make himself on a long-term deal that'll likely come elsewhere.
DeMarvion Overshown, OLB
After an injury-shortened season, the story for Overshown is blatantly-obvious: prove to the Cowboys he deserves to come back on a lucrative extension in 2027. This coming season is a big one for the former Texas standout as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. Being an integral part of this new-look defense as a versatile linebacker and enjoying the ascension of this franchise has to be on the forefront of his mind.
The Cowboys would obviously love to keep him around long-term, assuming he has a strong output in 2026.
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